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Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev have won the Madrid Masters doubles title after beating Matt Ebden and Rohan Bopanna. Khachanov and Rublev, a Russian unseeded duo, defeated seventh-seeded Ebden and Bopanna in the Madrid doubles final 6-3 3-6 10-3.
The first break point of the match was seen just in the eighth game, when Khachanov and Rublev broke Ebden and Bopanna for a 5-3 lead. In the ninth game, Khachanov and Rublev realized their first set point to seal the first set.
After losing the first set, Ebden and Bopanna bounced back early in the second set as they earned their first break of the match in the fourth game to open a 3-1 lead. Up by a break in the second set, Ebden and Bopanna then held on to their serve for the remainder of the set to force a decider.
Losing the second set didn't impact Khachanov and Rublev at all as the Russian started the match tie-break with a 6-0 lead. After taking a commanding lead in the match tie-break, Khachanov and Rublev didn't have any problems closing out the match as they realized their first match point to complete a three-set win.
Khachanov and Rublev win their first doubles title as a duo
Khachanov and Rublev, who played doubles together for the first time in a Challenger event in 2014, now have their first doubles title as a duo. Interestingly, Khachanov was the one who ended Rublev's Madrid singles campaign.
Earlier this week, Khachanov beat Rublev in the Madrid round-of-16 7-6 (8) 6-4. “It’s always tricky to play against each other because on one side we know each other's games perfectly because we’ve been training together for so many years.
At the same time we know what to expect, but also of course a bit nervous to play against each other. We are good friends, but on the court we are rivals. It was all a matter of keeping the serve, and if you have any chances on the return, go for it. That’s what I did," Khachanov said after beating Rublev in the Madrid round-of-16.